We must protect liberty

10:14 PM,
Oct. 5, 2012

Henry Walker

Written by

Henry Walker

Your point last Monday in reprinting The Monroe News-Star editorial "Rights ensure democracy" was that we don't teach civics very well in our schools. Sadly, this is true, and, remarkably, the title of the editorial makes the point.

Rights don't save democracy; they save liberty, which is different than democracy. That is, our republic stands on two separate legs, and needs both for support.

One is democracy; the other is liberty. Democracy means majority rule. Liberty means that there are some freedoms, set out in the Bill of Rights that are just too precious to be left to the whims of those ...